THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 9, 1994 TAG: 9407090247
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
DATELINE: FORT WORTH, TEXAS LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Ken Hemphill, who as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Norfolk built his congregation from 975 to 6,529 during his 11-year tenure, has reportedly been selected to lead the Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
A search committee has named Hemphill to be the nominee to replace ousted President Russell Dilday, according to news services in the Southern Baptist Convention and several church officials.
The full trustee board is expected to hire Hemphill at a meeting on July 29, according to a report in the Baptist Press.
The seminary has about 3,500 students and 100 faculty members and a budget of about $22 million.
Hemphill declined to comment on whether he has been offered the job.
He is widely respected within the denomination because he combines practical pastoral experience with a solid scholarly background from some of the world's best universities and seminaries, according to Baptist officials.
Currently, Hemphill is director of the Southern Baptist Center for Church Growth, a project he was hired to start and that is sponsored jointly by the Southern Baptist Convention Home Mission Board and Sunday School Board.
When he earned a doctorate degree at Cambridge University, he studied with C.F.D. Moule, one of the most respected New Testament scholars in the world.
``Ken is totally sold out to God,'' said Ralph Smith, chairman of the deacons at the First Baptist Church in Norfolk. ``He is a man of integrity and, as a result, he is completely at peace all of the time.'' by CNB